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5 Sheets Sheet 1. 7

(N0 Mtdel.) 7

- W. B. ERSKINE.

MAGEINE FOR FOLDING TUBULAR FABRIUS.

Patented May 17, 1892.

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' W. B. ERSKINE.

MAGHINE FOR FOLDING TUBULAR FABRICS. No. 475,272. Patented May 17, 1892.

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(No Model.)

W. B. ERSKINE. v MACHINE FOR FOLDING'TUBULAR PA-BRI'GS. No. 475,272.

Patented May 17,1892.

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MACHINE FOR FOLDING TUBULAR 'FABRIGS.

No. 475,272. Pat entedMay17,1 892.

f .9 //////I/// J NITED STATE PATENT Fries.

IVILLIAM B. ERSKINE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGN OR TO JOHN ERSKINE & 00., OF SAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR FOLDING TUBULAR FABRICS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 475,272, dated May 17, 1892.

Application filed August 17, 1891. Serial No. 402,835. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. ERSKINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of New York, in the county and State of 2? I New York, have. invented a new and useful Machine for Folding Tubular Fabrics, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof. o The present invention relates to mechanism for folding and pressing fabrics into shapes to be subsequently permanently retained and preserved by stitching, and has more particular reference to a machine whereby a tubu- 5 lar fabric is folded and pressed in the shape of a necktie in the forms known as the fourin-hand and Ascot scarfs, or where the neck portion is narrower than the tie portion.

Theimprovements include a shaper divided 'zo longitudinally into two adjacent plates capable of being sprung apart, folders designed to carry folds of the fabric into the space between the parts of the shaper while the latter is serving as an internal support for, as well as a guide to determine, the contour of the fabric, pressing or ironing devices, and special operating mechanism.

The main object of myinvention is to form and press the folded portion by operations almost simultaneous, thus saving labor and reducing the cost of production, and hence materially lowering the price of the finished article. A tie of this form has already been patented by me in Letters Patent N 0. 445,137,

5 of January 20, 1891, and in that patent I have clearly set forth the advantages of my tie as to cheapness, durability, and saving of labor, even though the tie were made by hand. By the machine herein described I am still further enabled to reduce the cost of the article by reducing the element of labor to a much greater extent, and hence reducing the cost-a factor'which is very material in production. Furthermore, my machine is very simple mechanically and its speed in producing very great.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my machine; Fig. 2, an end elevation, partly in section;

Fig. 3,a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a plan View showing the folding device open;

Fig. 5, a vertical central section of the heat ing-chamber or pressing device; Fig. 6, a similar View showing a modification of the same; Fig. 7, a section on the line 7 7 of Fig. 10, showing the folding devices open; Fig. 8, a section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 11, showing the folding devices open and the shaper separated to permit the entrance of the folding devices; Fig. 9, a section on the line 9 9 of Fig. 12; Fig. 10, a section of the shaping device with the tubular fabric thereon in section; Fig. 11, asection of the shaping device, showing the method of allowing the folding device to enter between the limbs of the shaping device; Fig. 6 12, a plan view of the folding devices closed and in the act of completing the operation of folding.

Referring to the drawings, a suitable operating board or table a is supported by legs b. These legs have cross-pieces c c on the front side and c on the rear.

Arranged above the operating board or table to and sliding on suitable guides-such as the guide-rods m-secured to the operat- 7 5 ing-table are longitudinal pieces d, bearing the folders e. The operating-table has a longitudinal central projection or rib f, rising above the said operating-board, which operates as a stop to prevent the longitudinal pieces cl from coming together and is wide enough for the fabric to lie flat thereon. A portion of this longitudinal rib is cut away and the operating-board perforated to receive a heating-chamber or pressing device g, which 8 5 is so constructed that when it projects above the operating-board it shall conform in all particulars with the longitudinal rib f and form therewith a continuous rib across the operating-board. This heating-chamber g (referring to Figs. 5 and 6) is composed of a suitable metal, preferablyof steel or iron,and

is hermetically sealed to prevent the escape of any of the heating medium which might injure the fabric. At suitable points h in the 5 bottom of such heating-chamber are placed pipes form the admission of steam or other suitable heating substance. The bottom of the box may be removed and flames applied to the inside thereof, as shown in Fig. 6, where gas-jets h are used to furnish the flames. This heating-box may be raised or lowered by means of the treadle j, (see Figs. 1 and 3,) which has a rod j suitably pivoted thereon and whichconnects with one end of a rocking frame 7e, said rocking frame being pivoted on a suitable line to rigid projections is, extending down from the operating-table, and the other end of said rocking frame being suitably connected with the heatingchamber by arms Z Z, rigidly attached to the heating-chamber. Vertical guides z' iare providedfor the heating-chamber g, which extend downward from the operating-table a and insure the accurate vertical motion of the heating-chamber. I

The reciprocation of the folders is accomplished by racks n, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) at tached to each end of the sliding pieces d, and operated by means of segmental gears 0 on rock-shafts p, which shafts are mounted in bearings in the legs I) and extend longitudinally beneath the operating-board, said shafts being operated by means of rock-arms q and connecting-rods q, one set of arms and rods to each of said rock-shafts. The connectingrods q are pivoted at their lower ends to the sliding cross-bar 0", which works on a guide 3 to insure positive vertical motion of said rods and the accurate oscillation of said rock-arms.

To the ends of this sliding cross-bar a" is pivoted a bifurcated bar t, the lower end of which is suitably pivoted to a treadle M. This treadle u is held in its uppermost position by suitable springs tt, and may be also looked in any desired position of its stroke by a suitable spring u and a ratchet formed on the face of the guide-bar 20 as shown particularly in Fig. 1. The treadle j is held up by spring 3' and may be locked in desired position by spring j and the ratchet on guidebar j.

I will now describe the devices that act directly upon the tubular fabric, consisting of the shaper and the folders and the heatingohambers. The shaper in the construction shown is formed for what is known as a fourin-hand scarf. It is made of any flexible material, preferably that which will resist the influence of heat. It is preferably, and for greater convenience, made in two separate lengths. The longer portion U consists of a bifurcated or slotted strip of metal shaped like the longer portion of the scarf, and the shorter portion 1) like the shorter portion of the scarf, such parts being clearly shown in Figs. 4, l0, and 11. At the wider end of each of these pieces o and o is a hole, which receives a pin to, projecting from the longitudinal rib f to hold such ends of the said shaper in place in the machine and to permit either or both portions of the shaper to be readily and quicklylifted out of the machine. The narrow portion of the shaper upon which the folds are formed is adapted to lie upon the heating-chamber or pressing device g when the same is raised into this position, thus conforming with the longitudinal rib and forming a heated ironing-board, thereby facilitating the retention of the folds in the fabric. The folding blades 6 e are of any rigid material and are shaped along their edges in such a manner as to fold the fabric somewhat in the same form as the shape of the tie, so that the fold is fiat and regular, and are so constructed that the one will slide over the other without interference and carry a fold of the fabric between them.

Having now described the mechanical parts of my invention, I will proceed to describe its operation. The shaper v o is removed from the machine and its parts run into the tubular fabric from both ends thereof. The fabric is shown in place upon the shaper in Figs. 7 to 12, inclusive, and is lettered 0c. The shaper is then replaced in the machine, being laid flat upon the longitudinal rib, so that the pins to enter the holes therein. The heating-chamber g, which is already heated, is then moved upward to its highest point, so that it presses against the under surface of the fabric, thus forming a continuous rib across the operating-board. By depressing the treadle j, which is locked in this position, as shown in Fig. 1, the upper parts of the two portions c and o of the shaper are then usually raised or sprung apart for a moment by the operator by hand or in any other conven ient way into the position shown in Fig. 11, and the treadle u is depressed, which causes the rock-shafts p and attached segmental gears 0 to partially rotate, and the racks n, folders e e, and carrying sliding pieces (1 d to be carried forward. As these folders e e are so arranged that .they shall slide past each other, one over and the other under, a portion of the tie is carried by the edge of each forward to the end of the stroke of said folder. The treadle a is then released and the folders withdrawn from the folds and allowed to return to their normal position. The operator then runs an ordinary heated iron over the upper surface of the portion of the tie thus folded, which said portion rests upon the heating-chamber 9, thus pressing or ironing it on both sides and causing it to retain its shape, the pressing of the lower surface being accomplished by the heating-chamber. The shaper is then removed from the fabric, pulling the portions thereof outward so carefully as not to destroy the fold and the tie is ready for the stitcher.

It is obvious that my shaper can be varied in form to fold any tubular fabric.

It is sometimes convenient for me to vary the mechanical parts of my apparatus; but I have specified the devices which I consider to be the simplest and most efficient for the purpose.

Having now described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine for folding tubular fabrics,

a shaper divided longitudinally into two adacent plates adapted to be sprung apart from each other and serving as an internal support and guide for the tubular fabric, in combination with folders designed to carry the folds of the fabric into the space between the plates of the shaper, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a machine for folding tubular fabrics, the combination, with a frame or table having a longitudinal rib upon its upper face for supporting the Work, of a detachable shaper divided longitudinally into two plates or portions and adapted to be inserted within and to support the tubular fabric, and movable folders adapted to form the fabric into folds within and around the divided shaper, substantially as set forth.

3. In a machine for folding tubular fabrics, the combination of a slotted shaper adapted to be inserted in the tubular fabric and to support the same, and reciprocating folders adapted to enter the slot of the shaper to form the material into folds, and a reciprocating heating-chamber adapted to be moved against and away from the shaper for pressing and ironing the fabric when folded,substantially as set forth.

4. In a machine for folding tubular fabrics, the combination of a slotted shaper adapted to be inserted in the tubular fabric and to support the same, a supporting-table, a longitudinal rib thereon to hold and support the shaper and provided with an opening near its middle portion to receive the heating-chamber, suitable folders reciprocating upon the said table upon opposite sides of the said rib and adapted to enter the slot of the shaper to form the material into folds, and a reciprocatingheating-chamber adapted tobe moved into the opening in the longitudinal rib and to form when in that position a continuation of the rib for giving complete support to the shaper, substantially as set forth.

5. In a machine for folding tubular fabrics, a two-part shaper. composed of flexible material having broad outer ends and a narrow middle portion, each part slotted through a portion of its length, substantially as set forth.

6. In a machine for folding tubular fabrics, a removable slotted two-part shaper composed of flexible material having broad outer ends and a narrow middle portion, each part slotted through a portion of its length, in combination with a supporting-table and sliding folders thereon and means for operating said folders, substantially as set forth.

7. In a machine for folding tubular fabrics, a removable slotted two-part shaper composed of flexible material having broad outer ends and a narrow middle portion, each part slotted through a portion of its length, in combination with a table, a longitudinal rib thereon, supporting the removable shaper, suitable folders, sliding pieces carrying the folders, and means for operating said folders and sliding pieces, substantially as set forth.

8. In a machine for folding tubularfabrics, a removable slotted two-part shaper composed of flexible material having broad outer ends and a narrow middle portion, each part slotted through a portion of its length, in combination with a table, a longitudinal rib thereon, supporting the removable shaper and provided with an opening near its middle portion to receive the heating-chamber, suitable folders, sliding pieces carrying the folders and means for operating the folders and sliding pieces, and a reciprocating heatingchamber adapted to be moved into the opening in the longitudinal rib and to form when in that position a continuation of the rib for giving complete support to the shaper, and means for reciprocating the heating-cham ber, substantially as set forth.

9. A machine for folding tubular fabrics, consisting of a suitable slotted shaper and the supporting-table, in combination with the folders e e, the sliding pieces at d, the racks n n, the segmental gears 0 0,the rock-shafts p p, arms q q, connecting-rods q q, sliding cross-head r, and guide 8, bifurcated rod 25, treadle u, and spring u, substantially as set forth.

10. In a machine for folding tubular fabrics, the combination of the heating-chamber 9, guides 11 2', arms Z Z, rocking frame It, rod j,

treadle j, and spring 3' substantially as set forth.

WILLIAM B. ERSKINE. Witnesses:

HENRY D. WILLIAMS, SIDNEY MANN. 

